Thinking of having a new shower installed? While certain showers can be installed DIY (including when the individual has the right knowledge and experience), in most cases it either makes most sense or is necessary to hire a professional.
But much does a shower cost when having a professional installation? In this guide, we’ll look at the average costs of different shower instalments and explore other related subjects, such as the price of additional features and potential unforeseen expenses.
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Types of Showers and Their Costs
First, we’ll look at the many types of showers on the market and the average total costs of having these showers installed (i.e. price of labour and supply only costs).
Electric Showers
Average Cost: £200 to £1,000
A popular choice among UK households is that of electric showers. These showers utilise a heating element (which is heated by electrical current) to heat up water.
However, without a pump (as you’d find with a power shower), electric showers tend to come with relatively low water pressure. This will make an electric shower a particularly poor choice for homes with low flow rates. Also, unlike some showers, an electric shower must be installed by a qualified professional (and specifically an electrician in this case).
That said, returning briefly to the benefits, electric showers are considered more environmentally friendly while also being super-efficient and relatively easy to modify.
Mixer Showers
Average Cost: £200 to £1,200
Another notable option is the mixer shower. These showers, while not as powerful as power showers, can offer more punch than electric showers. As the name suggests, mixer showers mix two sources of matter. More specifically, they mix water inside the mixing valve that comes from cold and hot water feeds.
Mixer showers can work with low pressure systems that are gravity-based. They are also a good match for combi boilers (the most common type of natural gas boiler in the UK). However, mixer showers are not compatible with any and all heating systems. Moreover, a water pump may be required to ensure a sufficient water flow.
Power Showers
Average Cost: £300 to £1,200
Power showers are a great option for those looking to introduce a high-pressure system if they are currently dealing with low-water pressure issues. So, even if the flow rate in your property is low, a power shower can use a pump to combine hot and cold water and push it out with improved power, creating a better showering experience.
That said, if you have a combi boiler, unfortunately a power shower is not compatible with this type of heating system. Also, while relatively affordable power showers exist, many options on the market are fairly costly.
Digital Showers
Average Cost: £500 to £1,500
Digital showers are designed to give you a greater amount of control over the showering experience with a convenient and modern electronic control panel.
With a digital shower’s control panel, users can adjust the temperature, water flow pressure and other settings. With that being said, digital showers need a power unit to work, they are often relatively expensive (the cost of a shower with digital controls can often exceed £1,000), Also, as with electric showers, must be installed by a qualified electrician.
Cost Variation Based on Brand and Quality
It’s important to consider that the cost of having a shower installed will vary not only depending on the type of shower but the brand and quality.
For example, a standard shower may cost somewhere in the region of £200 to £500 to have installed (with a supply only cost of approximately £30 to £400).
However, the higher the quality of the unit or/and the brand, the higher the supply cost will generally be. The price of labour may also increase if a higher quality shower you wish to have installed is more complex to install, although it’s more the supply cost that should be affected.
High end or luxury shower units often cost more than £1,000 between the supply and labour costs.
So, be sure to consider the type of shower you want (and ensure it is suitable for your home, heating system etc.) and what sort of brand or/and quality is right for you and your budget.
Also, don’t forget that unexpected or additional costs (more on that later) can apply in some cases, so having a flexible budget is important to avoid cost issues arising.
Material Costs
So, how much does a shower cost, in terms of the supply price of the unit only? Here, we’ll first look at the average price of buying different types of shower units but also explore the cost of other materials that may be needed or preferred.
Here is the average (supply only) cost of different types of showers:
- Electric Showers - £100 to £700
- Mixer Showers - £100 to £900
- Power Showers - £200 to £900
- Digital Showers - £400 to £1,200
Other notable materials (that you may have added as part of an instalment) and their supply only costs are as follows:
- Bathroom tiles - £400 to £2,000
- Shower tiles only - £100 to £900
- Shower tray - £200 to £500
- Shower door - £300 to £2,000
- New plumbing fixtures - £300 to £1,500
As with shower units, the quality and brand of other materials can also shape their price. For example, a Bespoke shower door is likely to cost significantly more than your average shower door. So, again consider a range of factors including the brand/quality of different materials you may wish to have added as part of a shower installation.
Labour Costs
Along with the cost of materials, the price of labour is the other primary cost element involved in having a new shower installed. That said, determining the price of labour can vary depending on a host of factors too.
The primary consideration is whether you are looking to have a shower replaced with a like-for-like swap (i.e. the new shower is the same type as the one you currently have).
Here is how much different professionals may charge for specific types of shower installations: *
- Plumber installing a like-for-like replacement shower - £100 to £150
- Plumber installing a new type of shower - £200 to £500
- Electrician installing a like-for-like replacement shower - £100 to £200
- Electrician installing a new type of shower - £200 to £800
* Please note that certain types of shower instalments require the work of an electrician in particular (e.g. digital showers and electric showers).
As you can see, an electric shower installation cost (or that of a digital shower) will often end up higher than that of a shower that needs a plumber. This is because electricians generally charge somewhat more than plumbers. Moreover, this sort of work may take a bit more time and thus cost a little more due to the wiring involved.
Along with whether or not the installation involves a like-for-like replacement, other notable cost factors are the complexity of the installation, the experience levels of the professional performing the installation, ease of access to the work area, and your location.
As for location, this matters since labour prices usually differ throughout the UK. On the one hand, labourers and professional contractors in general tend to charge more in the southeast of England, whereas labour prices are often below average in northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Additional Features
While we’ve touched on some potential added features, here are some more examples that won’t apply in most cases but may be needed depending on your needs and preferences and what is required for your shower and home in particular.
Rain Heads
Average Supply Only Cost: £50 to £200
For starters, a shower rain head, a.k.a. rainfall shower head is designed to simulate the experience of rainfall, but with the right temperature and in the comfort of one’s own home, this can make for a relaxing experience rather than a stressful or annoying one (as might apply if caught in a downfall outside).
A shower rain head that is a suitable match for your type and product of shower will often cost around £50 to £200. If you’d rather opt for a shower with a built-in rain head, it might cost about £200 to £800 to buy (plus £100 to £500 in labour costs to have installed in most cases - so a total of £300 to £1,300 on average).
When installed right above the standing position for the shower user (as opposed to being angled to a certain degree like other types of showerheads), it can lead to a particularly realistic experience of rainfall. This can act as a great way of adding a touch of nature to the showering experience. For many, this makes showering more calming.
Body Jets
Average Supply Only Cost: £30 to £200*
The purpose of body jets is to create an enhanced, more luxurious showering experience. As water comes out of the main showerhead, these small units can spray additional water to provide a spa-like shower experience.
With water coming from different locations simultaneously, users can benefit from an immersive, enhanced and more calming shower system.
*The above price estimate is usually applicable to just one body jet, though body jet systems can cost close to £100 in some cases. However, in general, several body jets will come with a price tag of several hundred pounds. And then there are shower systems that come with body jets, often prices in the hundreds of pounds range and sometimes even costing several thousand pounds.
Digital Controls
You may be interested in having a separate digital control added to your shower, whether it be the existing one or a new one. Of course, digital showers will come digital controls as part of the sale.
You want to get an idea of what digital controls (as part of a digital shower system) may cost as part of the total supply cost or you may even like to know the price of a digital control panel to add to a shower unit/system that doesn’t come with one.
Of course, if you’re considering the latter option, it’s important to ensure that your shower unit/system is compatible with digital controls. Moreover, digital controls have to be installed by a qualified electrician.
Other Additional Work
Extra plumbing work may be needed in various cases. One example is if the bathroom you wish to add a shower to a room that does not currently have a shower or even the plumbing needed for a shower. This could cost you several hundred pounds, if not more.
Beyond that, some simple pipework or additions may be needed depending on the shower installation in question (e.g. you could require it when having a new type of shower installed) may cost closer to £100 or less.
Additional electric work may be needed when having an electric or digital shower installed. For instance, they may need to install an extractor fan. This might set you back around £100 to £250 in total.
Other electrical work and wiring may also be needed depending on the nature of the installation, although many additions (particularly those required) will come as part of the initial quoted total.
In general, if unsure about what sort of extra work may be needed and how much this may add to your bills, you should discuss this with the plumber or electrician you choose to hire ahead of the installation work itself.
Cost of Altering Bathroom Layout
In most cases, households will simply be looking for a new shower (and maybe a few added accessories like a new shower tray). However, if you’d prefer or it’s even deemed necessary to significantly alter your bathroom’s layout, it’s important to consider how much this may add to your total bill.
Having your bathroom remodelled may cost somewhere in the region of £2,000 to £5,000. That said, a relatively simple bathroom layout change may cost closer to £1,000, while a high-quality bathroom renovation may cost between £5,000 and £15,000. It’s unusual for any type of bathroom alterations to exceed £15,000.
Whether for a substantial alteration or some changes mostly related to ensuring your shower can be installed correctly, plumbing or electrical points may need to be moved (and this must be done by a plumber or electrician, respectively).
If plumbing or electrical points need to be moved, this can prove somewhat expensive but also disruptive and may have other implications for your property’s structure and aesthetics that need to be taken into account. If you have concerns regarding the moving of plumbing or electrical points, make sure to discuss this with the professional you’ve chosen to hire in advance.
Unforeseen Expenses
Along with the cost of additional features (that can often be very much predicted in advance, once you’ve discussed these details and your bathroom’s layout ahead of time), you’ll also want to be aware of potential unforeseen expenses.
When having a shower installed, it’s possible that issues with existing plumbing, fixtures, fittings etc. may be discovered that must be addressed before the shower installation can be complete. This may come in the form of repair or replacement work.
Here are some notable potential unforeseen expenses that can arise with shower installations and their average total costs:
- Fixing leaky or damaged pipework - £100 to £400
- Addressing water damage in or around the showering area - £100s to £1,000s
- Fixing faulty wiring - £150 to £400
- Upgrading the power supply if needed* - £2,000 to £6,000
- Replacing a few broken bathroom tiles - £100 to £600
* It’s possible that the power supply may not be sufficient for a shower as of yet, or at the type of shower you wish to have installed.
DIY vs Professional Installation
While some showers (e.g. an electric or digital shower) must be installed by a qualified electrician, other types of showers may offer a DIY-friendly installation.
Not only must you consider what types of showers may be suited to install by yourself (i.e. power showers and mixer showers – assuming the units are not also digital or electric as crossovers of categories can exist), but whether the specific model is okay to fit DIY.
If you were to perform a DIY installation of a shower that can be added in this way, you’ll need to ensure you follow the instructions to a T and understand exactly what is involved from the practical installation steps to any and all safety requirements. If in any doubt, be sure to hire a professional plumber.
Also, when going about this DIY, you’d need to think about other aspects too such as Building Regulations and any other rules and regulations. A professional electrician or plumber will know how to adhere to the regulations, but for a DIY approach, plenty of research and potentially engaging with the council for clarity on local rules, regulations etc. may be needed too.
Installing DIY will likely save you about £100 to £150 (the average cost of labour for a like-for-like shower replacement).
If you want to install a new type of shower, it’s best to hire a professional, unless you are particularly experienced and especially knowledgeable in shower installations (and including the type you currently have and the type you wish to add). In this scenario, you could save several hundred pounds, which is how much it generally costs to hire a plumber to install a new type of shower.
While a DIY approach (and only if completely suitable) can save money, along with there being potential safety hazards, an incorrect installation will likely prove quite costly, whether in the short-term or over time (e.g. the shower may give way sooner than expected, whether gradually or all of a sudden).
All in all, if thinking of a DIY installation, be sure to think it through carefully and consider the points raised in this section.
Conclusion
All in all, the total price of having a new shower installed depends on a range of factors, including the type and quality/brand of the shower unit, whether or not you’re looking for a like-for-like replacement or a new shower, the cost of labour in your area, and whether any additional features are required.
It’s important to plan ahead and budget (with flexibility) to ensure a smooth and affordable outcome. Moreover, it’s also good to secure 3+ quotes from various plumbers or electricians (depending on what type of professional is needed) so you can make an informed choice ahead of this significant home improvement project!
A new shower instalment can enhance your bathroom and provide an improved and easier showering experience with a more powerful or/and hi-tech installation.
Sources
https://ukbathroomstore.co.uk/showers/shower-heads/body-jets
https://www.bellabathrooms.co.uk/blog/how-much-for-new-bathroom